How Often Should You Bathe Your Newborn Baby?

Unnerving as it may be, first-time parents may think they are doing proper baby care when they give their newborn a bath every day. It seems harmless enough. After all, most people are taught that taking daily showers is part of good hygiene.

But regardless of how safe the baby care products you purchased are, physicians do not recommend bathing your newborn daily.

What Happens When You Bathe Your Newborn Every Day?

Your newborn should not take their first bath at least after the first 24 hours from birth. Your baby is delicate, and exposure to too much water sucks moisture away from its skin.

It might seem paradoxical that water will cause their skin to dry, but that's precisely what happens if you bathe your newborn daily. So it does not matter if you buy the best baby care products advertised online as safe for baby skin.

As a result, your newborn is prone to skin conditions like eczema, which can be itchy and uncomfortable for your baby. Then, you have an uncomfortable baby on your hands who will have trouble sleeping, which means you also miss out on sleep.

However, not giving them adequate baths will also aggravate dry skin, which can lead to infection. So, it's a delicate balancing act for sure.

How Frequently Should You Give Your Baby a Bath?

You should bathe your infant 48 hours after giving birth since it's the ideal time when the bath will aid in developing their skin and temperature.

Your decision to delay your newborn touching water as long as possible will yield the following health benefits:

●     Their body temperature already stabilises, preventing them from contacting hypothermia

●     Your newborn's blood sugar has stabilised

●     Helps moisturises your baby's skin

●     You preserve beneficial bacteria on your newborn's skin

●     You strengthen the bond with your infant

You must limit the baths to 1-2 times weekly until their umbilical cord falls off. And never submerge your newborn's body in the water. Unless they have a blowout, they don't really need that much cleaning in the first place. You can get away with wiping whatever dribble or milk they spit out.

Once their umbilical cord falls off, you can use baby care products for a more traditional bath with lukewarm water.

Baby skin is more sensitive than adults, so it only takes very little to upset the balance. So even if you have already increased the frequency of the baths, you only use baby care products unless necessary. You can buy baby care products online at Pearl Chemist Group or visit their 18 physical pharmacies across South London.